CAIR0 (Egypt) - The famous saying, "It's not how you start, but how you finish that matters," could not be more fitting for Kenya's momentum.
They had a slow start to the tournament, going 0-2, but are now on a two-game winning streak. They secured a spot in the 2026 U18 Women's AfroBasket Zone 5 Final, where they will face the hosts, Egypt.
Tuesday's game was business as usual for Egypt, who recorded their lowest winning margin in the qualifier by beating Tanzania 74-46.
Kenya knew that losing to Rwanda for the second time in the four-team event would end their dream of qualifying for the 2026 FIBA U18 Women's AfroBasket, which is scheduled for August 5-16 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, so they came out ready to keep their dreams alive.
See below for a recap of Tuesday's events at the Cairo Stadium Indoor Hall 2.
Egypt extend winning streak
After defeating Tanzania by 36 points (86-50) in the group stage, Egypt eased up, defeating Tanzania 74-46 on Tuesday.
This was Egypt's lowest margin of victory, as they had defeated their three opponents in the Zone 5 qualifier by an average of 41 points per game.
Hani Hassabelnaby led the hosts with 15 points and rebounds.
Pendo Laizer and Inoth Mollel were the only Tanzanians to score in the double digits, finishing with 17 and 18 points, respectively.
The win leaves Egypt as the only undefeated team in the qualifier with a perfect 4–0 record, while Tanzania, who had a promising start to the tournament, lost their third game in a row and are now 1-3.
Kenya slow down Rwanda
Both Kenya and Rwanda entered the game with a 1-2 record.
This was a do-or-die game for both teams, but Kenya had the last laugh.
Rwanda's only lead came when Sumaya Nzitabakuze sank a three-pointer for a 37-35 lead. However, Kenya never panicked. They regrouped and rallied when it mattered most.
Joyce Kagiri was Kenya's secret weapon. She came off the bench to lead all players in scoring with 25 points. Her teammate, Scholastica Maburu, who was on the floor for all but 41 seconds, added 23 points and nine rebounds.
With their win over Rwanda, Kenya improved to 2-2, while Rwanda dropped to 1-3 with one game left.
Next Up
On Wednesday, Kenya and Egypt will compete for the region's sole ticket to the 2026 FIBA U18 Women's AfroBasket, which will take place in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, from August 5-16. Rwanda will face Tanzania in the third-place game.
FIBA